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Giancarlo Corsi, San Fernando Valley Elementary School Teacher, Accused Of Child Sexual Assault

sex abuseLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (October 29, 2022) – A 57-year-old Harding Street Elementary School teacher with the LAUSD identified as Giancarlo Corsi has been arrested after allegedly molesting a student.

The Los Angeles Police Department believes that there may be other victims and is asking them to come forward. The LAPD issued a press release and said that Giancarlo Corsi is being accused of inappropriately touching a student multiple times between 2004 and 2005. 

The teacher worked at San Fernando Valley schools from 1992 – 2006 before he returned to teaching in 2017. Giancarlo Corsi eventually took a post-hiatus role at Harding Street Elementary before he was arrested. 

He is currently being held on a $2 million bail. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time. 

Liability For School Sexual Assaults With the LAUSD In San Fernando Valley

Sexual assaults in schools across the United States are unfortunately very common. According to the National Education Association (NEA), there were nearly 15,000 known instances of sexual violence in K-12 schools in the 2017-2018 school year. This represents a sharp increase from the previous school year. Sadly, many instances of sexual abuse are never reported. Sexual abuse in the context of school is often something that tends to happen gradually. 

  • School employees will typically target students who appear isolated.
  • School employees will then shower the student with attention or gifts. 
  • School employees will try to fulfill certain needs in the students life. 
  • School employees will try to desensitize the student by talking about sex. 
  • School employees will often try to get the student alone at some location. 

It is against the law for school teachers to have any type of sexual relationship with a student. This includes instances of touching students in a sexual manner. Pursuant to California Penal Code 288, it is a crime for a person to commit any lewd or lascivious act on a child under 16 years of age. This includes touching a child’s body for sexual purposes. The touching does not need to be on bare skin. Teachers are mandated reporters and must let police know about suspected instances of sexual abuse. A mandated reporter who fails to report any incident of reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect is guilty of a misdemeanor under California Penal Code 11166(c). Unfortunately, teachers will often fail to report abuse out of fear of being disciplined or losing their job. 

Schools have a legal obligation to properly monitor students and do everything in their power to prevent abuse. The vast majority of school sexual abuse occurs due to teachers that are not adequately supervised with students. Under California Government Code section 815.2, a public entity such as a school district can be liable for an act or omission of an employee of the public entity working within the scope of his or her employment. This has been reinforced in court cases. Consider, for example, Taylor v. Oakland Scavenger Co., 17 Cal. 2d 594 [110 P.2d 1044], “It is the duty of the school authorities to supervise at all times the conduct of the children on the school grounds and to enforce those rules and regulations necessary to their protection.” There are a number of steps that should be taken after any instance of suspected sexual abuse in a school. 

  • School employees should be interviewed. 
  • Any disciplinary action against the offending teacher should be examined.
  • A police report should be made.  
  • Additional victims should be sought and interviewed. 
  • An experienced sexual abuse attorney should be consulted. 

It can be difficult to know where to begin after any instance of sexual abuse. But it is important to remember that abuse victims do have rights. They have the ability to file a civil claim for damages if that is what they choose. Damages can help cover many of the expenses that can come with sexual abuse. Abuse victims often suffer from long-term psychological trauma and often have a variety of worse health outcomes compared with people who were not abused. A sexual abuse attorney can examine the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are. 

Investigating School Sexual Assaults In San Fernando Valley

We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes and sympathies to all of the people who may have been victims of Giancarlo Corsi. It is our sincere hope that any additional victims will come forward and speak with the LAPD. There needs to be some accountability for what happened. The Los Angeles Unified School District needs to seriously consider a number of measures to help protect children and stop additional instances of abuse. 

Have you or someone that you care about been sexually abused during your time at Harding Street Elementary or any school in California? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of highly experienced and compassionate LAUSD sexual abuse attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that abuse victims are aware of their rights and that their abusers are held to account for their actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375. Se habla español.

Author

MICHAEL S. CARRILLO, Partner

Michael works on high-profile cases that have garnered national media attention. His practice today focuses on child sexual abuse cases, police misconduct cases, catastrophic injuries and other wrongful death matters. He is a passionate advocate for his clients including the countless child sexual abuse victims he currently represents.